Tire signal



' Aug. 19, 1930.

H. TASTENHOYE ET AL Filed Dec. 15. 192'7 TIRE `SIGNAL v v pressing the same, holds Patented Aug. 19,1930 Y TIRE YSIGNAL Application inea December' i5', iezaseriai No. 240,319, and in Belgium December 151,*.192a

K This vinvention relates to a small device which, located on the valve of a closed vessel containing a gas under pressure,einits a continuons whistling as soon as rthe internal e pressure'in'the vessel, owing to 'any causeV whatever, no longer reaches the predeter-l mined minimum of pressure. The same is especially suitable as deflation signaller for vehicle pneumatic tires. e Y E0 This device consists'siibstantially Iof a boX screwed on the valve of the vessel, which must Anot be completely closed. Said box encloses a setof 'valves and diaphragms under influence of the internal ressure which by fist againstthe actionofa spring,'a;whistle forcedA home in a socket.' So longasA the internal gas pressure ishigher than the strength of the spring, such pressure presses on the whistle,-whicli latter is tliuslield in its socken-,the boss of` the outer diaphragm, driven out by the air under pressure; but asV soon as the internal pressure'ceases balancing the strength of the spring the whistle is forced out of its socket,

vthe boss on the diaphragmthen projects into the thus vopened space and the canal 'in said boss Vallows the gasto How out andV pass through'the whistle which then emits a sharp ysound so long as gas escapes from the vessel.

In order to 4have the invention more clearly understood, the accompanying drawing illustrates, as'mereexample, a form of construction of the device in itsl applicationas deflation signaller for a motor car pneumatic tire'.v

Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate, in double natural size, an axial vertical section of the device, open (alarm position) in Fig. 1, and' closed (inoperativeposition) inv Fig. 2. .Y

- rIzligsj and 4 are front and side views re-V 49 spectively, of the device in natural size. n

- f lllddewlgsi v Y f 1 indicates a hollow cap screwed at 2 on the valve of the`'air-tubev (not. shown)l1and filosjna in tSi verfeinert., s'leve, 'pref-y y i5 erably 0f rubber, for ensuringtightness and so y shaped asf to force somewhat. back the plunger rod of the valve (which shouldknot `be1ocked pfor allowing the internal pressure entering the devicrefaV Said Icap is in commu- 750 'nication through a here 4 with Vthe bottom 5l and a concentrical internal projection' 52 'fUiNiTEnl 'STATES PATENT!OFFICE.

forming a shoulder 53, in which tightly fits a ring 54. In said box is arranged av first, nontight valve consistingV of a disc 6, the diameter of which is somewhat smaller than the diameter of the opening in the ring 54, but provided wtih a' base flange 61, of somewhatlaigerdiameter, kto'abut against the Vunder face of the ring; through said disc f passes a soft rubber cone 62, the base of which serves asfresilient stop guard fo-r disc 6, whilst itsupper part,endedvwith ai reinforcing and` guiding pin' 63, serves asobtiirator for the lcanal in the diaphragm to ybe described later on. The disc Gthus slightly 'movesv inring Y 54 in two directions: in ,one:direction,until pressing the base ofcone` 62against the bottoniofthebox 5, in the other direction untill itsfiia'nge 61 contacts with ring 54 and its cone closes the canal of the'diaphragm. v

In' any position, however, it allows the air passing under pressure betweenits rflange 61 and the ring 54.

The diaphragm 7L consists of a thick cap of r .soft rubber, hermetically fitting on thegan! 'nularinternal projection 52 in box 5.A In the center-bore Vof said cap, is forced the bottom of atubular piece 71, with dome shaped top, in the upper partof the bodyof which is bored` a side opening 72; `on thebody of said piece 71 is fastened a disc 7 3 of `a diameter somewhat smallerthanthe diameter of the diaphragm 7 and having in its centena' com-5.

. paratively thick fiatboss 745whicli bears,

against the, central top part of ,the diaphragm e e Over the whole is placed a lid or closure 8 havingL high Walls 81, the bevelled bottom $0 of `which engages the beadof diaphragm y,7 and lpresses samel against the internal proj ec tion 62 of'boX l5, Whilst` its reinforced `eXter.- nal flange 82 tightlyfs into the external ange 51 of 'said .box 5, which is' thenlocked over itk by folding, hammering or any other suitable manner. l

Said lid 8 is boredv in its center with ahole 83 in*` which loosely engages the .upper por#` tion ofthe tubular part 72' which projects 9 made in one piece with same.

box'said part 71, the disc 73 of which The lower part of said soclet 9 has an internal contraction forming a circular shoulder 91. 1n said socket is arranged a whistle alarm element 10, of ordinary construction, the bottoni of which is closed by a removable cap 104 fastened by a pin 105; the body of said whistle 10 is guided and slides loose in the contracted part 91 against which abuts and stops a sleeve 101, fastened in the whis:

tle of somewhat larger diameter, and thev front face of which is undercut, as shown in 102 to admit, when at the end of its downwards stroke, the head of the tubular piece 71 of diaphragm 7. In said sleeveis provided a coil spring 103, held inthe socket 9 by a ap 92 forced or otherwise secured in said socket.

The mounting and working of this device are as follows: The nut of the valve spindle ot the suitably inflated tire, is slightly loosened (for instance of half a revolution) so that a pressure Von same will allow air to escape 'from the tire. The neck'l is then screwed on said valve, by this screwing down, the conical rubber sleeve forces Adown the valve spindle and the small quantity of compressed air escaping, passes through the hole l in the bottom of box 5, between disc 6 and ring 54, and collects under the diaphragm .7.

Then orcingthen the whistle 10 up in socket n 9,'the contact of its sleeve 101 with the head or" the tubular piece 't' 1, forces back into the presses down through its boss 74, the diaphragm 7; the bottom of the tubular piece then strongly engages the upper'part of the rubber member or cone 62 which obturates it tightly` whilst the resilient base of said cone spreads more or less against the bottom of box 5'. Simultaneously, the disc G lifts somewhat more from ring 54; the pressure in theV air tube and in the interior of diaphragm 7 is now in balance and pressure cannot escape from said diaphragm, the' passage 71;-72being obturated by the cone 62. This results in the head of the tubular piece 71 being pressed against the whistle with a force equal to the normal pressure in the tire. -v

`The spring 103 which tends to project the whistle out. being calculated or adjusted ,to a strength less than said normal pressure (preferably to a strength corresponding to the minimal pressure permissible in .the tire, for instance 4i kgs. for a tire the normal pressure of which ought to be 5 kgs), said spring 108 is held. inoperative oy the saidV antaga nist pressure and the 'whistle'v 10j remains locked in the'socket 9 (see position shown in Fig-2). e'

But when owing to some accidental cause, (suoli as a nail puncture in the tire) thepressure sinks under the permissible limit, Vthe stress of the diaphragm. 7 on the head .71

passing through canal 5, escapes betweeniring 5i and disc 6 and flows through passage 71-72 and sleeve 101 to take its way through the mouth-piece of whistle 10, which is then blown.

The whistle continues signalling to the driver so long as air escapes from the tire.

lVhen the driver wishes to stop the whistling, he grips the whistle by its head 104L and rotates it half an axial revolution which, by bringing the solid part of sleeve 101 against the head of piece 61, forces said piece back against the rubber lcone G2 which obturates it and closes the passage 71-7 2.

It should be well understood that the above described form of construction is merely given as example and that a great number of modifications or alterations can be resorted to, without leaving the scope of this inven tion.

vllloreover, although the invention being described in its special application to pneumatic tires, it must be well understood thaty same can be employed in and applied to any case when it is found necessary to notice and signal Vany loss ordecrease of pressure of air or other gas compressed ina closed vessel.

` In short, the invention consists in an hermetically closed device, connecting the vessel containing gas under pressure with a whistle7 and enclosing a set of valves and diaphragins arranged in such manner that the pressure of the internal gas produces the obturation of the passages leading to the whistle, so long as such pressure is higher than the strength of a spring especially calculated or adjusted to torce said whistle out, in its operative position, as soon as said internal pressure falls under a. predetermined level, this opening the passage for the gas to the ymouth-piece of the whistle and blowing the same.

llVe claim:

1. A casing to be put into communication with an enclosure containing fluid under pressure, a whistle movably mounted on the casing, pneumatically-actuated meansin the 4casing to engage the whistle and normallyhold it in inoperative position, said Vineans on a reduction in the pressure of .said fluid releasing the whistle, and means for projecting the whistle to sound an alarm when released.

` 2. A casing for connecting with an enclosure containing fluid under pressure, the casing having a bearing, a movable tubular whistle in the bearing, the casing having an opening to communicate With the inside of said bearing, pneumatically-actuated means in the casing and comprising a part to pass through said opening to engage the Whistle and normally hold it in the bearing, said means act-y ing-on a reduction of pressure of said fluid to vrelease the Whistle, and means for causing the Whistle to move When releasedinto position to sound an alarm indicating said reduction of pressure.

3. A Casing for connection With an enclosure containing fluid under pressure, the casing having an opening, a tubular part having an outlet apert-ure in said opening, a flexible cap in the casing to which said part is connected, a valve in the casing carrying a resilT ient member With a stem to project into the adjacent end of the part toA close same, an

i alarm element held by said tubular part out of operative position, and means forcausing movement of said element when released by said tubular part, the pressure of said fluid normally causing the cap to hold the tubular part in engagement With the alarm element to prevent movement thereof and the resilient member closing one end of saidtubular part,

a reduction of said pressure enabling the v means for moving said element Vto actuate same and causing relative movement of said member and said part to permit said fluid to Y be discharged from said part to actuate said alarm element. l s

4. Aoasing for connection With an enclosure containing Huid under pressure, the casing having a bearing thereon and an opening v leading from the inside'of the casing into said bearing, a tubular Whistle in said bearing, a spring to project said Whistle'into operative position, a flexible cap in the casing, a tubular part having an outlet connected to the cap and disposed in said opening, a valve carry- Vrfi ing a resilient member in the casinghaving a stem to project into the tubular part,` the pressure of said fluid* normally acting upon the tubular part to cause said vpart tov holdV the Whistle against the force of said spring, reduction of said pressure enabling the spring to project the Whistle into operative position and the cap then moving the tubular part to project the end thereof into said bearing and permit Huid to pass through the outlet of said tubular part to the Whistle to operate the latter, said Whistle having a bevelled edge to enable it to be pushed back in the bearing, the

end of said tubular part beingthen engaged by said edge to move said vpart backward into i said Casin `In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our lnvention, We have signed our names hereto.

' HUBERT TASTENHOYE.

FRANQOIS TASTENHOYE. 

